By Sean Cronin
It's been a season like no other for Kirsten Rausing's Lanwades Stud operation and, fresh on the heels of Zaaki (GB)'s cakewalk in Saturday's G1 Underwood S., the Sir Mark Prescott-conditioned 4-year-old filly Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) made it a quickfire elite-level double for the nursery, sporting her owner-breeder's colours, in Sunday's G1 59th Preis von Europa at Cologne. The February-foaled grey, second in last term's G1 Yorkshire Oaks, was unbeaten in three prior black-type starts this term and lined up as the 11-10 favourite for this latest outing returning off a G2 Lancashire Oaks win and a comfortable defeat of leading German stayer Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in Hoppegarten's G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin last month. The enigmatic Quebueno (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) was in reticent mood and scratched at the start after refusing to load. Alpinista was steadied off the tempo in third after passing the judge first time as Grosser Preis von Berlin fourth Nerium (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) led the way with a handy advantage from MG1SP G2 Badischen Wirtschaft winner Kaspar (Ger) (Pivotal {GB}) in second. Initiating her pursuit of the clear leader when bounced into second off the home turn, she quickened smartly to seize control approaching the furlong pole and stayed on strongly under continued urging in the closing stages to deny her old foe by 1 1/4 lengths for a second Group 1 triumph. Darius Racing's G1 Deutsches Derby hero Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}) was doing all his best work at the finish and ran on well from off the pace to hit the line 1 3/4 lengths back in third.
“We're very happy, it's a fantastic family and thanks very much to Miss Rausing for sending us such a lovely filly,” said assistant trainer William Butler. “It's been a very lucky family for the stable, right the way back to Alborada through to Albanova, who won this race in 2004. I was here for that and this is great too. She's done everything we've asked of her this year and that's four runs and four wins. She's won two Group 1s, a Group 2 and a Listed, so we're very, very lucky to have her.” Looking ahead to possible future targets, Butler added, “Coming back to Germany [for the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern] is an option, as is the [G1 British Champions] Fillies & Mares at Ascot. It could be Munich, but we'll see. The main thing is to get her back home and make sure she's okay. With these fillies, you've just got to make sure they're in good form and they're healthy. When they are, they can do things like this.”
Alpinista, kin to the unraced 2-year-old filly Alpenblume (GB) (Kendargent {Fr}) and a yearling colt by Oasis Dream (GB), is one of 19 Group 1 winners by her sire and the first foal produced by a stakes-winning half to four stakes performers out of MG1SW distaffer Albanova (GB) (Alzao), winner of this in 2004. They include G3 Legacy Cup victor Algometer (GB) (Archipenko), stakes-winning G3 Geoffrey Freer S. placegetter Alignak (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and multiple stakes winner All At Sea (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Albanova is one of four black-type performers thrown by stakes-winning G1 Moyglare Stud S. third Alouette (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), whose descendants also include dual G1 Champion S. heroine Alborada (GB) (Alzao) and stakes-winning G1 Epsom Derby second Dragon Dancer (GB) (Sadler's Wells). Alouette is kin to G3 Doncaster Cup vixtrix Alleluia (GB) Caerleon), herself the dam of G1 Prix Royal-Oak heroine Allegretto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G2 Nassau S. winner Last Second (Ire) (Alzao), the latter being the dam of G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulians-winning sire Aussie Rules (Danehill)
Sunday, Cologne, Germany
59TH PREIS VON EUROPA-G1, €125,000, Cologne, 9-26, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:29.96, gd.
1–ALPINISTA (GB), 129, f, 4, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Alwilda (GB) (SW-Ger & SP-Eng), by Hernando (Fr)
2nd Dam: Albanova (GB), by Alzao
3rd Dam: Alouette (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Sir Mark Prescott; J-Luke Morris. €70,000. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Eng, 11-6-2-0, €386,683. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Nerium (Ire), 132, c, 4, Camelot (GB)–Nicolaia (Ger), by Alkalde (Ger). O-Stall Nizza; B-Ursula & Jurgen Imm (IRE); T-Peter Schiergen. €28,000.
3–Sisfahan (Fr), 126, c, 3, Isfahan (Ger)–Kendalee (Fr), by Kendargent (Fr). (€16,000 Ylg '19 ARQNOV). O-Darius Racing; B-Guy Pariente Holding (FR); T-Henk Grewe. €15,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.10, 22.40, 2.50.
Also Ran: Northern Ruler (Ger), Kaspar (Ger), Walkaway (Ger), Sea of Sands (Ger), Sunny Queen (Ger). Scratched: Quebueno (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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